For UNLV football fan, a tradition that fits to a T-shirt

By Ron Kantowski

Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009 | 2 a.m.

In four seasons as a UNLV football fan, a kid named Mike Wintermute has accomplished what Jim Weaver could not in 3 1/2 years as Rebels athletic director:

Wintermute has established a tradition inspired by the UNLV football team that actually interests me.

Granted, anybody whose diversions include the 1970s power pop band the Raspberries and collecting baseball cards of former major-league utility infielders (I’ll give you two Mick Kellehers for one Chico Ruiz and throw in a Carmen Fanzone) was probably not going to fly a miniature UNLV flag from his car window on football game days under any circumstance.

Wintermute and an inner circle that includes father Sheldon (or Barney to his friends) and brother Matt jumped on the Rebel football bandwagon when John Robinson’s arrival as coach finally gave UNLV a reason to have a bandwagon. A few years later Wintermute began designing T-shirts featuring his favorite Rebels players. Then he discovered a company on the Internet that would print 30 or so copies of his designs. (Hint: It wasn’t Hanes.)

Unlike Weaver’s little flags, Wintermute paid for his T-shirts out of his own pocket. Also unlike Weaver, he won’t make a single penny from the ones he sells. Not by charging $10 when the Internet T-shirt company charges him $10.99 per shirt.

He didn’t ask for this publicity, either, proving once and for all that traditions aren’t something that can be instantly developed, like an old roll of Kodachrome or the profile of one of those GoDaddy.com girls. They must mature over time, like wine or one of the Lohan sisters.

During last year’s season opener against Utah State, I spotted a few UNLV fans walking around the end zone cheap seats in these gray T-shirts featuring a likeness of Rebels running back Frank Summers and what appeared to be a Sherman tank.

On front it said: “Rebel Football: How tough is Frank Summers?”

On back it said: “Chuck Norris won’t even tackle him.”

Try finding one of those at the Sam Boyd Stadium gift shop.

That led me on a wild tank chase and eventually to tailgate space No. 31 on the grassy knoll at Star Nursery field (forever) before the annual UNLV-UNR name-calling contest game where Wintermute and his crew were grilling fine meats topped by equally fine cheeses. They threw a 7-Eleven hot dog on the charcoal for me and showed off the limited edition Tank Summers T-shirt. Collect all three.

Mine still has a spot of yellow mustard on the turret.

Wintermute, who will be 29 in January but looks young enough to pitch for that Chula Vista, Calif., team in the Little League World Series, dropped by Sun headquarters with a Limited Edition Series 4 T-shirt this week.

On front there’s a silhouette of a quarterback with the words: “Rebels in the Red Zone means one thing ...”

On back is a silhouette of a wide receiver preceded by “Clayton to Payne Touchdown!!! That just happened!!!”

“You know, like Will Ferrell in ‘Talladega Nights,’ ” Wintermute said.

Last year Summers thrilled Wintermute and Co. when he was filmed at a UNLV practice wearing “his” shirt. Likewise, Wintermute wants Omar Clayton, the Rebels’ quarterback, and Phillip Payne, his big-play wide receiver, to know a couple of “XLs” with their names on them (literally) have been set aside and are not for sale.

But nobody’s getting mine. Not even Randall Cunningham.

One of these days I’ll trade Wintermute a CD of the Raspberries’ Greatest Hits for two Mark DeRosas and one Billy Grabarkewitz.